


Stolen Hope

by blackrose_17



Series: Beyond The Stars [2]
Category: DC Animated Universe, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Torchwood
Genre: Batman isn't happy about that, DC Big Bang, F/F, F/M, Family, Jack and Ianto are future mates, Kid Fic, Kidnapping, Kidnapping Little Ianto is a bad idea, M/M, Multi, Romance, Talk of Children Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 21:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose_17/pseuds/blackrose_17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent have adjusted to married life and despite the fact that their son, Ianto, is aging at a much faster rate than he should they are still quite happy. Then one day their world suddenly falls apart when slave traders from another world begin kidnapping children at random, including their own beloved son. During their intensive investigation Bruce and Clark end up meeting a mysterious Time Lord and his two companions who seem to know more than they should. Can these two intrepid heroes save their son and the other children before it’s too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own JLU, Torchwood or Doctor Who in any shape or form I do own all original creations.  
> Beta the always amazing RoyalLadyEmma  
> Written for the 2013 DC Big Bang

**Chapter 1**

It is one of every parent’s worst nightmares, their child going missing, taken from their sight in a matter of seconds. But never did they think it would happen to them; they were heroes and this kind of stuff shouldn't happen to them. It shouldn’t happen to anyone, but when it did, it was up to men like Bruce Wane and Clark Kent to do something about it.

Rose Tyler had once been a simple shop girl, blissfully ignorant of the realities of the universe, until one night she met the most extraordinary man who showed her wonders like she had never seen before. Like a moth to a flame, Rose was mesmerised by the possibilities that he offered and she knew that she belonged with the Doctor and the fascinating future he offered. One day a handsome con man joined their merry journey across the cosmos and life became even more confusing, intriguing and yes, definitely more fun. Together with their most recent addition, Jack Harkness, she and the Doctor were privileged to see some of the most wonderful and truly terrifying sights the universe had to offer.

Midnight, the planet made of diamonds, the dramatic frozen waves of Woman Wept, the dancing trees of Shan Tung 7 – truly magnificent places all, but nothing compared to the combined spectre that was the wrath of Superman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League. It was an unbearably terrifying sight that struck paralysing fear in the League’s enemies.

As she held the child’s trembling body closer to her chest and then felt the comforting weight of Jack's arms wrapping around her, Rose happily sank into his hold as the child clung tightly to her. _'And to think only five days earlier I was looking forward to our next adventure!'_ In the back of her mind, Rose Tyler could hear her mother’s voice saying, “Be careful what you wish for, young lady.”

******  
 _Five days earlier_

_Gotham City, Wayne -Kent Manor_

Ianto Wayne-Kent, known as Ianto Kent to the world, was a happy, well-adjusted, bright little boy. He had his fathers’ love, who doted on him brothers as well as his cousin and grandparents and his many aunts and uncles all of whom thoroughly enjoyed spoiling him rotten. None of them, however, knew Ianto’s greatest wish: he wished with all his heart that he could have a few friends his own age.

As if sensing his melancholy mood Ace and Krypto let out a series of low whines and curled closer to Ianto, who allowed a soft smile to appear on his face. “How can I be lonely when I have the two of you? I just wish that I could have fun with other kids, you know, friends to play with, talk to about the latest cartoons on TV and other things that kids talk about.” Ianto’s little shoulders slumped as he stared around the empty room.

Unable to do anything to help, Ace and Krypto whimpered as they stared up at their young master wishing there was something they could do to help him.

******

Watching from the window, Clark's heart broke as he watched his only child playing with Krypto and Ace; the dogs were only real friends he had. Hearing his husband come up behind him, Clark glanced over his shoulder and smiled warmly, although the frown that creased his forehead didn’t soften. "Do you think we're doing the right thing in keeping Ianto isolated?"

Together the men studied their son as he romped about the garden, throwing a ball for the dogs and laughing as they skittered about fetching it and dropping it at his feet again. Even though he looked and sounded like an average little boy they both knew he wasn’t; Bruce wrapped his arms around Clark and rested his head on the other man’s shoulder. Both parents felt badly for Ianto and wished there was something they could do to make their son’s childhood more ‘child-friendly’.

Quietly turning away, "We can't take the risk," Bruce reminded Clark as he sat down on the window seat and pulled his husband down next to him. They’d installed the bay window a few years after Ianto’s birth, when he was old enough to play outdoors on his own; it gave them the perfect view of Ianto playing in the yard and they’d spent many, many happy hours watching what Bruce called ‘their favourite show’. “Beats anything on television,” Clark had declared.

Clark sighed deeply; he understood his husband's worries and agreed whole-heartedly that it just wasn't safe for Ianto to be among other children. There was simply no way for them to explain his unnaturally rapid aging without giving his son’s secret away. They may have rescued him from Torchwood One's grasp and Bruce had made very sure to put the fear of the Batman into them, but both Bruce and Clark knew that they had not given up their search for Ianto.

No, keeping him out of the school system was the easiest of the few ways they had to keep him off the grid and out of their enemy’s clutches. Even though it hurt to see his son so depressed and lonely, _nothing_ mattered more to Bruce than keeping his son safe.

“I know how you feel, my love; I really wish Ianto could have a friend outside of the League, someone his own age, someone who can understand a young boy’s thoughts and feelings.” Clark knew all too well how hard it was to be different from other children, growing up on the farm helped him hid his powers but it also kept him separate from the other kids. Whenever he’d thought about having a family of his own, he’d never once thought his son would have to grow through that.

Sensing Clark’s depressed mood Bruce wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist and hugged him close. “We know what it’s like to be isolated and I like to think that we turned out pretty well, don’t you think?” Bruce asked a rarely seen playful glint in his eyes.

A wicked smile appeared on Clark’s face as he twisted around to look at his husband. “If you consider the fact that you dress up like a giant bat and I wear spandex, then yes, I think we turned out pretty well.”

“I rather like you in spandex,” Bruce purred, nipping at his husband’s ear. “It clings in all the right places,” and he brushed the back of his hand across one of those places.

Feeling the heat from his lover’s hand seep through the fabric of his trousers and into his groin, Clark sucked in a quick gasp and then fought back the moan that wanted to escape as Bruce nibbled on his ear. “Bruce, not here, Ianto could see us,” he whispered breathlessly.

A happy shriek filled the air catching their attention and they turned their attention back to the yard, watching as Ianto rushed forward to meet Dick and Tim.

“You know, I think Ianto is going to be occupied for a while,” Bruce whispered huskily as they watched Dick catch the flying missile that was their son, lifting him high into the air and twirling Ianto around. “Which means I can have my wicked way with you.”

Clark whimpered; he couldn’t help it. He loved it when Bruce dropped his voice to that deep husky growl he normally used when he was the Batman; it sent shivers up and down his spine. “You don’t play fair,” he managed to get out as he quivered beneath his husband’s touch.

A dark grin appeared on Bruce’s face as he watched the lust build in his eyes; he truly loved the effect he had on his husband. “I never play fair when it comes to you, my sweet, and you know full well that you love having that kind of effect on me. ”

Clark would never say it out loud because he refused to give Bruce another ego boost, but he _did_ enjoy the erotic effect his lover had on him. “Who says it won’t be me that has my wicked way with you?” Clark asked with a raised eyebrow.

A seductive look, one that only Clark was ever privileged. to see, entered Bruce’s eyes. “Well then I guess we’ll just have to take advantage of one another, won’t we?” He ran his hand up Clark’s thigh until his knuckles nudged against the large bulge he found there.

Leaning into Bruce’s hold Clark nipped at Bruce’s lower lip. “That sounds like a plan.”

******

A grin graced Dick’s face as he watched through the bay window as Bruce and Clark disappeared from the living room; he then turned his attention to his ‘brothers’. “Well it looks like it’s just the three of us…” Ace and Krypto growled at the man and he hastily revised his statement. “I’m sorry, I mean the _five_ of us. How about we go get some ice cream?”

Ianto’s blue eyes lit up with pleasure and he danced around in an excited circle. “Yay! Can we?”

Dick grinned mischievously at Tim. “I don’t know, can we, Tim?”

Tim knew he was no match for the combined power of two pairs  of puppy-dog eyes from both Dick and Ianto, not to mention Ace and Krypto’s own hopeful glances at him. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt. As long as it doesn’t ruin our dinner, then I guess it’s okay,” Tim agreed; ice cream did sound awfully good.

“Yay! Tim, you’re the best!” Ianto cried as he freed himself from Dick’s hold and threw his arms around Tim in a hug.

Dick couldn’t help but pout at his baby brother. “But what about me? I was the one who suggested it,” he reminded Ianto and he stuck out his lower lip, trying to look terribly pathetic.

Smiling brightly Ianto released one hand and patted Dick on the knee. “You’re awesome too, I'm very lucky to have the two coolest big brothers ever."

Dick grinned down at Ianto. "Nice save, kid, for that I think you get a triple scoop of ice cream."

Ianto's blue eyes lit up with pleasure. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Ianto grabbed both Dick and Tim's hands and began tugging them along behind him. "Ace! Krypto! Come on, boys, you don't want to be left behind! There’s ice cream waiting for us!"

Barking excitedly, Krypto bounced behind his small master while Ace shook his head; the only reason he was going along to the ice cream parlour was to keep an eye on his young human.

Hurrying along behind their little man, Tim and Dick shared a smile above Ianto's head; they both thoroughly enjoyed this time they got with Ianto away from his fathers, and the way their still-younger brother looked up at them with pure adoration in his eyes made them feel like heroes. However, they knew that their special time with him would be shorter than normal given Ianto's accelerated growth rate and they planned on spoiling him rotten at every turn while they had the chance.

As the three brothers walked towards the garage listening to Ianto chattering away about the virtues of various ice cream flavours, they did not notice a small camouflaged orb that had been hiding in the trees around the garden move out of its hiding spot and start trailing silently after its target.  
  
******

"I do hope none of you ruined your appetites otherwise I would be very displeased." Standing in the entryway of Wayne Manor, Alfred cut an imposing figure, although he merely raised an inquiring eyebrow at the three guilty parties who had the decency to lower their heads and look at their feet, although their ice cream-covered mouths gave them away.

"We haven't, Alfred, we promise." Ianto solemnly blinked his blue eyes up at the man in question and favoured him with a small smile.

Alfred felt the corner of his lips twitch up into a smile. He never could say no to that face; it as the same one that Bruce had so often favoured him with when he was but a boy, a look that had been passed on to Dick, Tim and now Ianto. "I believe you, young Master Ianto, now it's time to go wash up, dinner is almost ready."

Ianto nodded his head before rushing off to do just as Alfred had ordered; he didn't want to take a chance on pushing his luck. A pleased smile appeared on Alfred's face as he watched his youngest charge hurry up the stairs, followed by as always by Krypto. Once he was sure Ianto was out of hearing, he turned his attention back to the shifting feet and guilty faces of Dick and Tim. "You two are very lucky that Ianto hasn't ruined his appetite, because if he had there would be no dessert for either of you for the next two weeks."

Looking at one another with huge eyes, Dick and Tim paled. They knew that Alfred was not making a light threat, he was serious. "But what about Ace and Krypto, they didn't stop us!" Dick knew he was grasping at straws and the look Tim and Alfred gave him made it clear that he was insane.

Ace growled at Dick, sticking up for his missing cohort and wanting to know how this could possibly be their fault.

Tim shook his head as he placed his hand on Dick’s shoulder. “Face it, brother; you’re fighting a losing battle. We can only hope that Ianto’s telling the truth and that we haven’t ruined his appetite or else we have to deal with going without Alfred’s wonderful desserts.” Tim refused to think about the possibility and he made a small mournful noise at that idea; it was almost too painful to bear.

There was a twinkle in Alfred’s eyes as he added, “And you know that I will simply have to make all your favourites during that time; wouldn’t it be a shame if you were unable to have a single bite much less lick the beaters.”

Dick placed his hand over his heart. “You’re a cruel, cruel man, Alfred!” he declared dramatically, swooning into his brother’s arms.

Alfred just smiled at his theatrics; “And you would be wise to remember that.”

******

Bruce and Clark knew they had missed something given the way Dick, Tim and even Ace and Krypto were watching Ianto eat his dinner. Eyes followed every forkful from plate to mouth; Tim even seemed to be counting them.

Luckily for Tim and Dick and their love of Alfred’s superb sweets, Ianto had a big appetite; Clark was convinced it was his hybrid alien and human DNA that made him eat more than a normal growing boy did.

Bruce, on the other hand, firmly believed that Ianto took after Clark. His husband was well known for his ability to put away a huge meal and come looking for a sandwich just a few hours later, a fact which truly warmed Martha Kent’s heart. She was more than happy to supply Bruce’s pantry with all the farm produce, homemade bread and fresh eggs Alfred could possibly need.

"All done Alfred, may I have dessert now?" Ianto asked beaming up at his grandfather figure.

Alfred smiled at Ianto. "You may, young master Ianto; I'm very pleased to see that your earlier treat didn't affect your appetite, as I'm sure that Richard and Timothy are very grateful as well." Alfred raised an eyebrow at the two youngest who indeed were wearing relived smiles on their faces.

Clark frowned and a sigh escaped Bruce's lips as he shook his head at his two adopted sons. "You took Ianto out for ice cream before supper again, didn't you?" It wasn't all that big a surprise; they did it every time they came to visit.

Tim shifted guilty in his seat and darted a quick glance at Ianto. "Maybe, but as you can see that it didn't ruin his supper," he was quick to point out.

Dick agreed nodded his head so hard he looked like a bobble-head doll as he pointed to where Ianto was now happily digging into his gooey chocolate lava cake with its scoop of vanilla ice cream. "See? We told you that Ianto would still be hungry later on, he is a growing boy after all."

Alfred wasn’t impressed and he merely looked down his patrician nose at the young man. "May I remind you that you are very lucky that Ianto did indeed eat all his supper if you wanted any desserts for the foreseeable future," he reminded them.

"We remember, Alfred, and you're a cruel, cruel man for threatening to withhold your out-of-this-world desserts," Dick pointed out with a childish pout.

"Thank you; I do my best, after all someone has to keep you all in line," Alfred said with a knowing smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"I think someone is ready for bed," Bruce commented quietly as he watched Ianto yawn for the fourth time in as many minutes and his eyes drooped heavily; he smiled as Ianto shook his head fighting manfully to keep his eyes open.

"I'm not sleepy," Ianto grumbled stubbornly his declaration ruined it a moment later when he let out a huge jaw-cracking yawn.

Raising an eyebrow as he closed his book and set it aside, Bruce stood up and simply scooped his son up smiling as Ianto sank into his hold. "Nice try, little man, but it's time for all growing boys to be tucked into bed."

Clark rose and quickly joined his husband and son; it was rare that they got the chance to put Ianto to bed together. It seemed like there was always some kind of disaster happening that needed one or both of them and they revelled in the time they did get to spend with their son.

Ianto pouted but after another huge yawn he knew his father was right, but before he was carried out of the room, he turned his gaze onto his brothers. "You'll be here tomorrow?" and the hope in his eyes and voice was just so touching.

Dick nodded his head. "Of course we will, kiddo. We'll spend the whole day together doing everything you want," he promised.

Ianto smiled sleepily in his dad's arms as he rested his head on Bruce's shoulder, his blue eyes locked on to those of his two brothers. "That sounds nice. I like it when you and Tim come to visit." Ianto didn't get to see his brothers enough and when they were around he didn't feel as lonely as he normally did when he only had Ace and Krypto to play with. Yes, Alfred was always around, but he was both too busy and just too old to meet the physical demands of a busy eight-year-old boy.

Smiling Tim reached out and rustled Ianto's dark locks. "We promise, we'll still be here in the morning."

"Okay." Ianto knew that his brothers would never break a promise to him and he snuggled happily into his father's warmth. "Will you read me a story?" Ianto asked looking up at his dad with blurry eyes. He loved it when his dad read to him; he always did the _best_ voices.

While he would never say it out loud everyone knew that Bruce loved it when Ianto asked _him_ to read the bedtime stories. While Clark and Alfred did very good jobs, they just didn’t have Bruce’s flair for making the various characters come to life in Ianto’s imagination. It was a gift left over from his own childhood – Bruce’s parents read him bedtime stories every night before they were so cruelly taken from their son. So it surprised none of them when the dark knight smiled down at his  
son and willingly accepted, "Of course I will."

"Yay!" Ianto cheered as he rubbed his sleepy eyes before transferring his gaze to Ace and Krypto who were both waiting eagerly at Clark's feet; since the day they brought Ianto home Krypto and Ace hadn't slept anywhere but in Ianto's bed. It was an arrangement that that no one really minded; after his father's they were the most protective members of Ianto’s family and it gave everyone an increased sense of security. "Ace, Kry…” Another yawn interrupted Ianto’s speaking; “…pto, it's time for bed."

Krypto let out a happy bark as he wagged his tail and bounced over to Bruce's side to gaze up adoringly at his small human. Ace, of course, followed at a much more sedate pace but still he couldn't help but wag his tail as well; he liked curling up next to his human after a long day of playing with Ianto and as usual, keeping Krypto out of trouble. Ace had always had a special relationship with Ianto; when the boy was little, Ace would make him giggle by activating his mask and playing peek-a-boo.

At first Bruce had tried to keep the pets from sleeping with Ianto, some of the parenting websites and books he’d consulted said it was unhygienic, or that children needed to learn to be alone at times to encourage independence later in life, blah, blah, blah – the theories and advice were endless and they made his head spin. But after the first week of them sneaking into Ianto's room as soon as it was safe, combined with the pure joy that shone in Ianto's eyes when he woke up to find them curled up next to him, well, it was enough to melt the Dark Knight's heart and he relented. After that, the trio never missed a night sleeping together.

“Have you ever noticed that our puppy-dog eyes never work on Bruce but Ianto has him wrapped around his little finger?" Dick whispered softly to Tim.

Tim had indeed noticed and as far as he was concerned, there was only possible explanation. "Well, Ianto is part Clark and Ianto learned to use his adorableness at a very young age to wrap Bruce around his finger."

"You do know that I can hear you, right?" Bruce growled as he glared at his two older children.

Dick and Tim smiled innocently at Bruce, "Oh yeah, we know, it's just we also know that you won't do anything to us as long as you’re holding Ianto so we’re safe until training and since we promised Ianto to spend the day with him tomorrow you can't beat us up during what you call training until the next day and by then we’ll have made new plans with Ianto!" Dick pointed out as he chortled gleefully.

"That's it!” Bruce declared firmly. “You are no longer allowed to spend any more time with Wally, he's filling your heads with his stupid ideas." His gaze softened as he turned his eyes onto his youngest son, "And that goes triple for you, young man."

A sweet pout appeared on Ianto's face and he stuck out his lower lip, "But I _love_ playing with Uncle Wally! Everyone says he's just a big kid and Auntie Helena says it's nice for me to play with someone the same age." A confused look replaced the pout as Ianto gazed up at his father, "what does she mean by that?" He thought his Uncle Wally was the coolest adult after his dads and his brothers and of course, Alfred, so he wanted to know what his auntie meant when she called Wally a kid.

A barely muffled laugh escaped Clark at the pained look that appeared on his husband's face. Bruce would never accept the fact that Wally was one of Ianto's favourite people and if Clark wasn't mistaken, he had the distinct feeling that Wally might end up being Ianto's first crush. _'If that ever happens there will be no place that Wally can hide; no matter how fast he runs it will not be enough to escape the wrath of big daddy Batman.'_

Never in Clark's wildest dreams did he image that it would be Bruce who would become the overprotective parent where their son was concerned, but ever since they rescued Ianto from the corrupt hands of Torchwood One, Bruce had made it his life’s work to keep Ianto as safe as was humanly possible, and when you were the Batman, that was pretty darn safe indeed. To tell the truth, it made Clark sick to his stomach when he thought about the dissection and experimentation-happy scientists at Torchwood One; they had who knows what in store for the clone child of Batman and Superman but none of it would have been good.

Bruce glared at his husband before turning his gaze back onto his son. "You know how you like Wally because he plays with your toys with you and watches all the cartoons you like and plays the same games as you do?" Bruce waited while Ianto thought about it and then nodded his head. "Well your Auntie Helena is simply saying that while Wally may look like an adult, like me and your dad, he’s really just a big kid at heart, like you." Bruce wasn't sure how much of that Ianto understood but he watched his son closely and he could almost see the gears spinning in his little head; a few moments later, a look of understanding dawned in his eyes and then Bruce knew he should have never doubted Ianto. _‘His_ _intelligence grows and grows_ _every day.’_

Satisfied with his father’s explanation, Ianto reached up and patted his father’s cheek. "Okay, thank you for clearing that up, daddy." Knowing that Wally was a big kid made playing with him so much more fun.

Bruce hiked his son up higher and kissed his forehead. "You're welcome; now, young man, it's time for bed, it’s way past your bedtime. Say goodnight."

Ianto lifted his hand and waved goodnight to his two brothers; it was a true testament to how tired Ianto really was when he didn't demand to be put down so he could go running to his brothers and get his usual goodnight hugs.

Instead, being the loving brothers that they were, the older boys came to Ianto. "Goodnight, little man," Dick whispered as he brushed a goodnight kiss on the top of Ianto's head.

Tim quickly took Dick's place as he too graced Ianto with a goodnight kiss on the same spot. "Sweet dreams, Yan."

It was a loving brotherly moment and Clark wished that he had a video camera with which to film it. With Dick and Tim off living their own lives, it was rare to have these family moments anymore and Clark wanted to capture as many of them as he could before Ianto was grown. _‘I’m afraid we don’t have that much time.’_

Tim and Dick watched as Bruce carried Ianto out of the living room with Clark, Ace and Krypto following faithfully behind and they shared a smile; it was nice to be part of a family.

*****

Changed into his Justice League pyjamas and snuggled in his bed Ianto gazed at his father with sleepy, heavy-lidded eyes as Bruce began reading to him. It was one of Ianto’s favourite stories but try as he might to stay awake it was not to be; after a hard day of playing with his two brothers as well as Ace and Krypto, Ianto was asleep within moments of his head hitting the pillow. Bruce never even got to the end of page one, much less one to one of the wonderful voices he could do to entertain his son. Sitting one on either side of the little boy, Clark and Bruce shared a smile. This always happened whenever Tim and Dick came to visit; Ianto was always worn out by bedtime and he never got to hear his story.

Bending down Clark pressed a kiss on Ianto's forehead. "Sleep tight, son."

Ianto just shifted in his sleep and snuggled his Batman and Superman teddies closer as Clark moved back and allowed Bruce to take his place. "Sweet dreams, my precious little boy," Bruce whispered as he brushed a kiss on Ianto's forehead.

Clark smiled at the tender scene of Bruce's night time ritual with their son; he felt so privileged to witness a side of the feared Batman that only he and the rest of their family was lucky enough to see. In unison, the men stood up and watched as Ace and Krypto immediately took their usual spots on the bed, one on each side of Ianto with Ace resting his head above Ianto's and Krypto resting his head on Ianto's stomach. Bruce moved to stand beside his husband and together they simply stood silently and looked at their son. They were both too painfully aware that in no time their bedroom rituals would be no more; Ianto's rapid aging would make sure of that, so these precious moments were cherished by both of them.

At last Clark grinned at his husband. "I think it's our bedtime as well, don’t you?"

Raising an interested eyebrow Bruce smirked as he dragged his eyes over his husband's body, making it very clear what he had in store. "I really hope you're not tired, my super hero, because I have plans for you," the dark knight purred throatily.

As always Clark was amazed the instant and powerful effect that seductive tone had on him as he felt shivers race up and down his spine. "Nope, not at all, but I figure you have a way of wearing me out," Clark purred back in his own highly seductive tone.

Shifting so he could bring Clark closer to his body Bruce nipped at his husband's lower lip. "I'm sure we can come up with something that’s guaranteed to wear each other out." Bruce quickly and quietly dragged a smirking Clark out of their son's room.

******

Completely worn out after spending the afternoon running and playing with his brothers, and with the promise of their time tomorrow echoing in his ears, Ianto drifted deeply into the land of dreams. Having retreated to the privacy of their own bedroom, Bruce and Clark never noticed the floating sphere that phased through their son’s bedroom wall. Ace and Krypto however were always on guard over their youngest and favourite charge and they immediate began growling menacingly before falling into protective stances on either side of Ianto's bed. As they guarded his still form, their hackles rose and their lips curled back so that their sharp teeth were bared as they snarled dangerously at this new and unknown opponent.

But the alien sphere was ready for this; a tiny widow opened and a minute nozzle appeared which admitted a small puff of orange-coloured gas. The soporific took effect quickly and try as they might to ignore it, Ace and Krypto could feel the call of sleep taking them and against their will and despite all their instincts to protect their young master they fell into deep sleep.

 

The moment the threats posed by Ianto’s canine bodyguards were contained the sphere returned to its original mission.

Ianto continued to sleep peacefully even as the sphere began scanning him, its tiny beam casting a faint glow over him as it passed from head to foot and back again, nor did he wake to the faint beep it admitted once the scans were done. A sudden flash of golden light filled the room and when it faded Ianto was gone, only the rumpled covers and abandoned teddies evidence that he’d ever been there. Its job done the sphere phased back through the wall it had come through leaving no trace of it or its newest passenger as it joined a second sphere flying silently through the night sky.

******

Shooting straight upright in bed Clark was drenched in cold sweat and he could feel his heart pounding furiously within his chest as a sense of fear unlike anything he’d ever known fully engulfed him. The perspiration on his skin dried quickly, leaving him feeling clammy and faintly nauseated. Something was wrong, very wrong; every instinct Clark possessed was screaming at him. The urge to check on Ianto grew stronger and stronger until he could no longer ignore it and he threw his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Clark? What's wrong?" Bruce asked sleepily as he felt his husband leave their bed.

"Something is wrong, Bruce, I can feel it. I need to check on Ianto right now!" Clark didn't want to alarm Bruce but he could feel Ianto's heartbeat getting fainter and farther away, like he was moving away at an accelerated speed.

A chill swept over Bruce; he could tell by his husband's tone that he wasn't telling him everything. "Clark, what aren't you telling me?" he asked softly, dreading the answer.

Clark couldn't keep this from his husband, their son was far too important to them for him to keep secrets. "Ianto's not in the house, Bruce, he’s gone and he's moving further away at alarming speed even as we speak."

It was like all the air had been knocked out of Bruce's chest; Clark made sure he knew where all the heartbeats of their family at any given moment, as well as just how far away they were from him. Feeling his husband’s fear sent an icy hand of fear to clutch at the Batman’s spine; this was not at all good. The speed with which Bruce scrambled out of bed would surely have put the Flash to shame and the moment he joined Clark at the door Superman wasted no time in wrapping his arms around his husband's waist and flying them down the hallway towards their son's room.

******

Inside Ianto's room Ace and Krypto had come around, although the gas had left them with wobbly legs, blurred vision and dizziness. Despite these after-effects, they knew something was wrong as soon as they awoke; they might look like a pair of drunken sailors staggering about but their canine sense of smell was working just fine. Ianto's scent was not as powerful or as fresh as it should have been and working together in perfect unison they began sniffing every inch of Ianto's bedroom trying to find where their young master had disappeared to. When they discovered that Ianto’s scent faded at the wall and they could not pick it up again, they began to bark sharply in order to alert their masters.

As they neared Ianto's room both men were vaguely aware that they had picked up guests, awakened by the dogs, Dick and Tim quickly joined them. It was Ace and Krypto's furious barking that confirmed something was seriously wrong and Clark set Bruce on his feet while at the same time, with no concern for their home, he ripped Ianto's door off its hinges.

"No!" A band of iron circled Clark’s chest tightly and he couldn't breathe as he stared at Ianto's empty bed and he collapsed back into his husband's arms. "Bruce, someone has taken our son!" he whispered brokenly as the pain and reality of their loss hit him while the mournful howling of Ace and Krypto only served to emphasise the sadness of the moment. Straightening up, he looked at his husband and Bruce could see the fire returning to his eyes. Clark Kent-Wayne was enraged; someone had kidnapped his son. Someone had taken his baby boy and by all that he held holy, there would be no place on or off Earth where the perpetrators would be able to hide from him.

It had been a long time since Bruce felt such strong fear filling him, but he managed to maintain control of himself long enough to issue the following orders: "Dick, Tim, call the League, someone had taken Ianto." If he had to he was going to rip apart all of time and space to find his son.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Within minutes of hearing the news, the Justice League was on high alert; nearly everyone who could be there was there and even those who were on assignment were demanding to be kept in the loop. It was clear that all of the Justice League was up in arms; every member knew and loved Ianto and not just because he was the child of two of their own. No, from the moment he’d arrived in their midst, Ianto Kent-Wayne had become the League’s mascot, proof that it was possible to have a full life and family outside the League.

Now someone had kidnapped one of their own and there was no place the culprits could hide from the combined force and wrath of two distraught fathers backed by the Justice League Unlimited.

*********

Desperate to provide a lead on their stolen child, J'onn Jones was running every scan he could possibly find but to no avail. However, while he couldn't find a single trace of where Ianto might have gone, he was finding an alarming pattern; Ianto was not the only child who’d been reported missing. Even though he knew he should only be concerned with Ianto’s whereabouts and well-being, he also knew he had no choice but to inform the others.

J’onn broke the news later at the League’s first full briefing, and as he’d expected his words were met with shock and anger. "Are you seriously telling us that there have been nearly a hundred children kidnapped in the last seven days and we haven’t heard a single thing about it?" Diana, also known as Wonder Woman, demanded her voice thick with outrage. “How is this possible?”

Clark's fist clenched at his sides, someone was taking their most precious treasures right from under their noses and they had been kept blind and out of the loop. "Are you sure, J'onn?" Clark knew that the Manhunter wasn't wrong, he rarely was but in this instance he hoped that he was. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed as J'onn shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I am very sure, Kal, though I wish I wasn't. It started out small with a few disparate child disappearances here and there, and the media did it’s best to report on every child with Amber Alerts on TV and in the daily papers. The police followed all the leads they could but unfortunately, they all turned out to be dead ends. The children were there one minute and gone the next, there was no trace, it was just as if they had vanished," J'onn sadly informed the rest of the League.

"They will not get away with this!" Shayera aka Hawkgirl growled as she slammed her mace down onto the table, rage filling her as she realised that children had been taken right under their noses.

John Stewart wasn't at all happy with the news he was about to report. "Earth isn't the only planet whose children have been taken. I’ve heard from the other Lanterns that children have vanished under mysterious circumstances from a number of other worlds as well. All the evidence that the Lanterns have gathered indicates that they are in the hands of alien slave traders."

Wally was the only one brave enough to glance at Bruce and he flinched at the dark look on the Batman's face; he was extremely glad that he wasn't the one on the receiving end on that look but he had no pity for the ones who soon would be. "So we need to track down these bastards down and get our Ianto as well as the rest of the children home!" Wally declared vehemently.

"But how? There is no trace of them anywhere." Oliver Queen hated to be the one who pointed out the obvious, but someone had to do it.

"We will find a way!” Bruce growled darkly “I am _not_ leaving my son in the hands of slave traders!” He reached out and took hold of Clark’s hand, both getting support from and giving comfort to his husband. “We will turn over every stone and check every lead we have until we find every single clue we can. Someone out there will have the answers we need to find our son."

Around the table the assembled forces of the Justice League looked at one another and nodded; they all knew that the Batman was going to do whatever it would take to find his son.

******  
 _Somewhere in Time and Space_

"Whoa, Doc, what in the world is happening?" Jack Harkness demanded as he clung tightly to the TARDIS' railing as she shuddered and shook beneath them. It felt like she was doing her best to knock them right off their feet.

"I'm not completely sure," the Doctor called back as he tried desperately to figure out what was going on with his ship. _'I wish you could tell me what’s wrong; what’s bothering you?'_ Never before had he seen her act like this.

Rose Tyler gripped the railing next to Jack with both hands as she watched the Time Lord race around the console as best he could considering that he was slipping and sliding all over the place. "You know when I asked for some excitement? Well, this wasn't what I had in mind!" She was really beginning to regret saying that she missed all the running and adventure they’d enjoyed after they’d visited two planets where nothing happened. Rose wanted some fun but this was really not what she had in mind.

The TARDIS could feel how worried her lonely angel and her two companions were for her but as much as she wished she reassure them she was fine she couldn't; time was in flux. Someone very important to Jack's future had been taken from his proper place in the Universe and it was playing havoc with the timelines. _'This needs to be fixed! We must do something; we must save our young one.'_ The TARDIS knew she was taking a big chance in bringing Jack and the taken child together as this meeting was not yet destined to happen but she had no other choice. _'I can only hope Jack will be able to forgive me.'_

******

Looking out over the flocks of aliens who came to him for their ever increasing need a highly satisfied smirk graced his face as he heard the arrival of his precious pets. "So what did you bring me this time, my pets from that lower planet known as Earth?" He turned around slowly, almost preening as he allowed the lights to reflect off of him. He could have passed for human if not for his coppery-red skin, his long dark locks that fell to his lower back and his bright blue eyes seemed to glow with an eerie light. Dressed in a well-tailored three-piece suit he began reading the list supplied to him by one of his sphere; although nothing really special jumped out of him, he knew that children of pure human blood were in a high demand. In fact, he knew of at least one race that used Earth’s children as an aphrodisiacal drug and were willing to pay very good money for them; they might like what he had and then he saw it.

"Kryptonian? But they are all gone! Oh, you precious little thing, you; you will make a fine prize indeed and you are going to bring me a pretty penny on the auction block," he murmured with deep satisfaction. _‘Yes,_ _I finally have_ _a treasure worth a very large_ _fortune in_ _my grasp!’_

******

It had been two long, tortuous days since Ianto had been taken in his sleep and Dick was quite positive that nobody in the League had slept since. He knew that neither Bruce or Clark had been home at all while the exact opposite could be said for Ace and Krypto; the two super pets had refused to leave Ianto's room except for the few minutes it took to relieve themselves out in the yard. Worried about their health, Alfred had taken to leaving their meals in Ianto’s room and even though he was preparing their favourite dishes, the food remained untouched. It was clear to everyone that they were mourning the loss of their favourite human and nobody could get them to leave Ianto's room.

“They are waiting for the young master to return,” Alfred confided quietly to Dick as they stood in the bedroom door; the dogs were lying on Ianto’s bed staring intently at the spot in the wall where Ianto had vanished. “I believe they may be feeling guilty for not preventing his abduction.”

The dogs weren’t the only pair who were slowly becoming mere shadows of their former selves. It broke Dick's heart to see his two father figures so lost and broken; their eyes, usually sparkling with humour and vitality, were dull and lifeless, and when they spoke there was a faint sense of hopelessness if you listened closely enough. 

Thanks to the help of Lois Lane, it didn't take long before word got out about Ianto’s disappearance. Lois, who despite her break-up with Clark and Superman, was still a stand-up lady and she didn’t hesitate to use her contacts, both local and international, to find out everything she could about the missing children. Then, as a favour to the League, she used her credentials as a journalist to get in contact with the parents of other children who had been taken just like Ianto had been. These distraught families were happy to talk to her, believing that the more people who knew about the missing children, the better. Even if they had no new details provide to provide, at least they could warn other parents to be more aware of their children’s whereabouts.

Eager to do their part in the search for information, Dick and Tim had reached out to all their teammates and according to Tim, both Kon and Kara had spent many hours at Clark's secret Fortress of Solitude, trying their best to see if there was something they had missed. To their growing frustration, so far no luck.

It was easy to see how great a toll Ianto's kidnapping was taking on Bruce and Clark; they just weren't the same and it was truly heart-breaking. Dick was sure that he hadn't seen Clark smile once in two days and he was really missing seeing the lighter side of Clark. Feeling a sense of melancholy coming over him, Dick turned his attention to the stars. "I know you're out there somewhere, Ianto, and we are going to find you, I pro… promise." His voice cracked and he swallowed around the lump in his throat.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling back against a firm chest, and the comforting voice of his lover washed over him as Roy whispered, "We will."

Dick sank into Roy's embrace taking all the strength his lover was offering him. "We _have_ to; I don't think Bruce and Clark could survive the loss if we don't." and in his heart, Dick knew that they wouldn't. Ianto was the reason they had stopped dancing around their feelings for one another; finding Ianto, becoming a family, and raising him in a warm, loving home had changed both Bruce and Clark for the better. Dick saw firsthand how much lighter Bruce had become since he’d become a father and no one could deny his love for and devotion to his son.

"What about you? I know how much you love Ianto, how are you handling his disappearance?" Roy asked as he cradled his partner gently. He was worried about his lover; he knew that just like Bruce and Clark, Dick hadn't slept once in the two days since Ianto was taken and it was clearly starting to wear on his lover. But he knew better than to suggest Dick rest, Roy knew that Dick like the other members of the League wouldn't be sleeping until Ianto was home safe and sound.

"Lost,” Dick admitted. “He's just a little boy! Why would anyone take an innocent little boy? We’re supposed to be the heroes, our job is to protect everyone else, but how can we do that when we can't even keep our own most important person safe? I feel like I failed him, Roy. I mean, I was sleeping right down the hall, how could I have just slept through Ianto being taken?" Feeling a rush of scalding tears fill his eyes, Dick blinked rapidly, forcing them away; he refused to cry, he refused to give into the breakdown that he knew was coming. _‘I have to stay strong for Bruce and Clark; there’ll be plenty of time for tears later, when our Ianto is home again.’_

Roy knew that Dick was feeling guilt he just hadn’t realised how bad it was. _'How could I have missed this? Of course he blames himself!'_ Roy knew he couldn't relieve all of Dick's guilt but he was sure as hell going to try. "You are not to blame, Dick! Did you forget that both Bruce and Clark were sleeping just down the hall as well and you don't blame them do you?" Roy demanded.

"No!" Dick looked positively horrified at the idea of him blaming either one of them, “Of course not!” He knew that Bruce and Clark were already blaming themselves enough and he wasn't about to add to it even if he _had_ felt that way, which he most definitely did not. “I would never do that! They had no idea this was going to happen, Wayne Manor is the home of the Batman and Superman and it's one of the safest places on Earth! There’s no way… Oh…" Suddenly Dick knew what his lover was up to and he smiled when he realised that his ploy was working.

Seeing the way Dick was beginning to relax Roy nodded his head approvingly and a smile appeared on his face as he continued to force Dick to realise that he was not to blame for what happened. "I know for a fact that Ianto wouldn't want you blaming yourself for this, Dick; we can't let guilt or blame consume us, not when your little brother is out there waiting for us to rescue him and we are not going to let him down," Roy declared emphatically.

Dick was amazed that his lover once again managed to calm him down without him even realising that Roy was handling him. _‘He knows me so well,’_ David sighed happily. "You're right and I'm not going to let Ianto down. None of us are."

Roy was pleased to see the fire returning to Dick's eyes, that was the Nightwing he knew and loved, and he knew his lover was speaking the truth. There was simply no way they could fail, this was far too important.

******

Kon could tell his boyfriend was worried and afraid, feelings that he completely shared. Ianto was just as much his brother as he was Tim’s and it hurt to know that he was out there somewhere alone and lost and undoubtedly frightened.

"We _are_ going to find him, we cannot fail him!"

Kon blinked at Tim's sudden words and at the pure conviction in his voice. "Of course we will; I'm just scared as you are of what could be happening to Ianto out there all alone," Kon admitted his fear.

Tim looked up at his lover, saw the truth in his eyes and moved closer to his boyfriend till he could wrap his arms around Kon's waist. "I know how you feel, that's how I feel as well. Ianto is so young and so innocent and I hate the idea of him out there all alone. He’s not old enough to face the realities of life, which is why I won't give up on him and I won't rest until he is home safe and sound in his fathers’ arms."

There was no doubt in Connor's mind that Tim would do everything in his power to ensure that their little brother was brought home safe and sound. "I know, honey, I know; none of us will rest until we find Ianto and the rest of the children and make sure that those who are behind this atrocity never take another child again," Connor growled. He had a special bond with Ianto, they shared something that no one else in the League could understand; they were both clones, scientifically created instead of naturally born. Their creators intended for them to be used as deadly weapons but fate intervened; they were saved and given the chance to become something much more human and valuable than what they were originally created for. There was no way that Connor was going to let whoever took Ianto rob him of his future.

Tim tightened his grip on Connor's waist. He knew just how strong of a bond his boyfriend had with Ianto, they were the only ones who truly understood what it was like to be born differently. He refused to say that Connor had been ‘created’; his birth was very different true, but he was still a human being, just like Ianto was. "I promise you we are going to get him back and he's going to have a wonderful future and we are going to be there to see it."

Tears flooding his eyes Connor gazed at Tim with pure wonder. "How can you know just the right thing to say and just when I need to hear it?" he asked in a slightly tremulous voice.

Tim felt his cheeks blush at the praise and the look of admiration in his boyfriend's eyes. "It's just a talent I guess. Now let's just hope that extends to finding our baby brother."

Connor pressed a kiss onto the side of Tim's forehead. "We will, I know it, sooner or later we’re going to find Ianto, we are all too determined to fail, especially when it's something this important."

Tim favoured Connor with a love-filled smile. "See? You really do know just the right thing to cheer me up."

"I think that's why we work so well, we know what the other one needs," Connor reminded his boyfriend and Tim could only agree.

******

"You do know that melting the computer screen isn't going to help us," Barbara pointed out as she noticed Kara's eyes beginning to glow.

"No, maybe not, but it would definitely make me feel a lot better," the Girl of Steel growled out as she forced herself to calm down.

A sigh escaped Barbara's lips. She understood her girlfriend's frustration; she loved her computers but right now she wanted nothing more than to smash them all for being so damned unhelpful. "I know how you feel, sweetie; I keep staring at these screens hoping that the answer will just jump out at me, but so far nothing. How can so many children just disappear without a single trace?" Barbara could feel tears of anger and frustration filling her eyes, she hated feeling like such a failure and right now that was how she felt.

Kara saw the tears appearing in her girlfriend's eyes and quickly moved to Barbara's side; kneeling in front of her she took Barbara's hands in hers. "Hey, you are not a failure! The answer is out there somewhere and you and your brilliant brain are going to find the missing key, I just know it. You've never let us down before and I know you're not going to start now." Kara spoke earnestly, her tone and words designed to reassure her lover.

Barbara looked at her girlfriend as her tears spilled down her cheeks. "You really believe that? Because I sure don't."

Freeing one hand Kara cupped Barbara's cheek and wiped away the tears that fell. "I do, I've seen you work miracles before and given something as important as this I know there is no way you can fail. I have utter faith in you and you should have faith in your abilities."

Favouring Kara with a watery smile Barbara reached up and covered her hand with hers. "Your faith in me has always helped me work miracles. I won't stop until we find something that will lead us to Ianto and I won't quit until he is back with us safe and sound."

For the first time since she learned about Ianto's kidnapping Kara found herself smiling as she leaned forward and rested her head against Barbara's. "That's my girl and I know you will find the key we need."

******

"We _are_ going to find him," Bruce whispered as he came to stand beside Clark. Concerned when he hadn’t seen his husband for some time, Bruce had begun a quick but systematic search of the house, thinking that perhaps Clark had hidden himself away to worry in private. It hadn’t taken too long before he discovered his mate in Ianto's bedroom where he was seated on their son’s empty bed, gazing around the room without really seeing anything. It broke Bruce’s heart to see that Clark had Ianto's favourite stuff Batman and Superman teddy bears clutched tightly in his grasp. Curled up on the bed behind Clark were Ace and Krypto, who had their heads on their paws as they stared mournfully at their master.

Clark swallowed hard as he looked up at Bruce. "I know we will. I just feel so hopeless! Our little boy is lost out there somewhere and there is nothing we can do until we find him. I've never felt like this before."

Sitting down next to him, Bruce wrapped his arms around his husband. "I understand how you feel, I really do, but everyone is doing their best to find him and we will, I know we will. We just need to have a little more faith. We will find him even if we have to rip apart all of time and space. I promise you we will bring our son home."

Collapsing into his husbands arms, Clark finally let go with the tears he’d been hiding for so long. He desperately wanted to believe that what Bruce was saying was true but he found that the belief in hope was slow to come to him and not even his husband's passionate vow could truly ease the fear that gripped his heart, that they might never seeing their son again. _'Wherever you are, Ianto, please be safe and if there is someone out there in the Universe, then please send us a sign that he will be okay,'_ Clark silently pleaded as he sighed and snuggled deeper into Bruce's embrace praying that Ianto would be safe.

******

Curled up in a small ball in the corner of a dark, dank, metal-walled room, Ianto was so very frightened. One minute he’d been sound asleep in his own bed and the next he was awake in a strange place surrounded by a bevy of unknown children. The little boy in him wanted so much to cry, but the son of Batman and Superman was stronger than that. He fiercely kept the tears that wanted to fall to himself after he had seen some of the other children be hit for crying. Their kidnappers had made it very clear that tears would only be met with violence and Ianto refused to give them a reason to lay a finger on him. Instead he favoured his captors with a death glare that some of the other, older kids had dubbed the baby bat glare. _'Please dad and papa, find me soon. I want to come home. I miss you and the others.'_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The instant they exited the TARDIS Doctor knew that something was very wrong, very, _very_ wrong and he began studying everything around them even as Rose and Jack were being drawn in by the music and the myriad races mingling around having a good time.

"Doc, now this is my kind of place," Jack grinned brightly as he patted the Doctor on the shoulder while at the same time he ogled a set of triplets with the cutest black puppy dog ears on their heads and adorable fluffy black tails that he wouldn't mind playing with.

Rose's eyes were bright with awe as she took in vast the array of different alien races mingling about in the most amazing looking outfits and she glanced down at her own clothes and tugged at them fretfully. "I guess I should have dressed for the occasion." She felt woefully underdressed.

The Time Lord wasn't paying any attention to either of his companions; his eyes had suddenly focused on the man at the centre of the party. "It can't be, not him!" He was referring to a man the Doctor despised above all others; in the Doctor’s opinion, he was the absolute lowest form of life.

"Doctor? Are you alright?" Rose noticed the darkening look in the Doctor's eyes.

Hearing the worry in Rose's voice Jack tore his attention away from the delicious sight of so many gorgeous bodies writhing about in some kind of frenzied ritualised dancing and turned his attention onto the Doctor and Rose. There was no way he could miss the way the Doctor had stiffened until he was practically bristling with anger. "Doc, what's wrong?"

"This is no party,” the Doctor spat out those four words like shrapnel. “That monster over there is Ahriman and this is a slave auction!" the Time Lord growled vehemently and fire shot from his eyes as he glared daggers at their oblivious host.

Jack literally felt sick to his stomach and he had to swallow profusely as a wave of bile rose in this throat. He recognized the name, Ahriman; the Time Agency had been after him for years but somehow they had always been one step behind and the villain had eluded capture and retribution for decades. The Draconian slave trader was known throughout the Universe for stealing everything from children to dinosaurs to plague medicine and selling it all on the underground black markets for a profit.

_‘This is so horrible!_ Rose suddenly came over quite faint as she realised that the people she’d actually been admiring those were here to buy another human being as a slave. "What can we do, Doctor?" she asked, knowing they needed to stop this travesty before it went any farther.

The Doctor shook his head regretfully. "We can't do anything until we know who or what Ahriman is selling this time and then we can act. For now we have no choice but to blend in." The infuriated Time Lord made a distasteful face at the idea of joining in with the surrounding crowd and being part of the revelry but he knew that they had little other choice. From the looks of pure disgust on Rose and Jack’s faces he knew that they felt the same way.

******

Standing up as straight and tall as he could, Ianto glared imperiously at the guards before him. As the oldest of the stolen children there, the son of two illustrious superheroes, as well as the brother and adopted nephew of members of the Justice League, he wasn't afraid of these monsters. He knew in his heart that his family was looking for him and that nothing would stop them from tearing apart the universe until they’d found him.

******

After about an hour of keeping brittle, forced smiles on their faces, of making courteous small talk with potential slave owners, and of avoiding overly-eager servants bearing trays of food and drink, the Doctor, Jack and Rose were relieved when Ahriman strolled out onto the stage with a smirk on his handsome face. His mere presence brought an immediate hush to the room as the party-goers crowded around the dais with pure admiration on their faces.

The Doctor snorted with disgust as he surveyed the people staring up at Ahriman like mesmerised sycophantic followers. “How can they be so blind to what the man really is?” he fumed.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming,” the slaver raised his glass in a toast to his guests, “and now that you've all enjoyed some food, drink and a few other shall we say, naughty delights, I think it’s time to get things started, don’t you?" Ahriman smiled as he looked out over his captive audience waiting patiently until the applause had died down before continuing, "and while I could stand here all day and talk about how wonderful I am that's not why you're here. Well, at least not this time!” Again applause and raucous laughter broke out.

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Jack groaned in dismay. “Is he paying these people to think he’s wonderful?”

“Now normally I would save the greatest prize in tonight’s collection as a surprise but I have decided that the final item in the catalogue is just too good to keep under wraps. I want you all to see the treat I have saved for the end and that way you can ogle him to your hearts’ content while figure out how you can afford him.” Ahriman paused while a wave of excited chatter spread through the room like wildfire. Finally, he pinged his fingers lightly against his champagne glass.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the rarest creature in the Universe, the only known Kryptonian child!" With that dramatic announcement the lights in the room suddenly went out, leaving just the stage illuminated and then a dazzling spotlight lit up the side curtains. With a sweeping flourish of his arm, Ahriman gestured and two of his guards struggling to drag out a small dark-haired boy who was biting, kicking and scratching them for all he was worth.

"Oh this is bad, very, very bad." The Doctor had gone paler than Rose had ever seen him as he looked at the human boy that was to be auctioned off later as the highlight of the show.

"Of course it's bad! They’re selling children!" Rose was horrified that this kind of thing still happened in other parts of the universe.

"No, not that... well, yes, it's horrible that they are selling children, but this child… selling _this_ child… it’s a very different bad. He is the son of Batman and Superman." The Doctor ran a hand through his hair leaving it even more dishevelled than usual; Ahriman’s slavers had taken the one child who could start a universal war. His brain was whirling a mile minute faster than normal; the only son of Superman and Batman would be a fine prize for any one of at least a dozen super criminals and crazed war lords, to say nothing of three evil scientists who would give their eye teeth to be able to experiment on and then dissect the remarkable little boy on the stage.

The Doctor sighed deeply; between the many deadly enemies that Superman had collected over the years and the potential for almost unlimited power that lay undiscovered within Ianto, he would make a perfect weapon for any one of the aliens in that room and on the now open communication lines connecting the auction to the far reaches of space.

Drawn by the uproar taking place on the front stage, Rose’s eyes grew wide as she turned her gaze back to the young boy who, unlike the other children now on display, didn’t seem to be cowering in abject fear. In fact he was glaring at the auctioneers with a look that promised dire consequences in their futures. Plucking at the Doctor’s sleeve, Rose whispered, “That is one scary look for an eight-year-old boy.”

The Doctor snorted with wry amusement at his companion’s understatement. “That is the baby version of the famed ‘bat glare’; trust me when I say he’ll only perfect it with age.”

Jack raised an inquiring eyebrow. “You seem to know an awful lot about this kid; is there something you’re not telling us, Doc?” Jack asked with a grin on his face. He’d heard many a tale about two of Earth’s best known superheroes and he had to admit that Superman and Batman were definitely lookers. _‘I know I’d certainly do them, any time, any place’!_ the immortal smirked to himself. There was little doubt in his mind that Ianto would grow up to be a looker just like his fathers.

The Doctor refused to meet Jack’s gaze, he was too afraid of what the man might read in his eyes. There was just no way he could tell Jack that it was through him that he would one day meet Ianto Kent-Wayne, the young man who was destined to become his future mate. _'This wasn't supposed to happen, Jack, not this way! I can only hope you will one day be able to forgive me for what I have to do.  You cannot remember meeting young Ianto, not yet; your true first meeting is just too important to be messed with.'_

The Doctor knew that when this auction atrocity was all over he would have no choice but to remove Jack and Ianto's meeting from their minds; their first meeting was a set point in time, one that couldn't be changed _. ‘No, I just met Ianto in the future and he_ _is a very special young man as is his future mate; together they_ _will prepare_ _the rest of the human_ _race_ _for what is to truly_ _come.’_

“No, not rea… well, yeah, I suppose… but we need a plan.” The Time Lord looked around the room, searching for the exits and figuring out which ones were guarded which were open.

Jack's eyes narrowed as he noticed that the Time Lord hadn't fully answered his question. _'You're keeping something from us, Doc, but what?'_ Past experience had taught him that when the Doctor prevaricated things were definitely not going to end well, for any of them.

"We have to stop this!" Rose declared emphatically getting ready to rush the stage and steal the children back, and only the Doctor's quicker-than-human reflexes allowed him to catch her in time.

"We can't, not alone. These are very dangerous and powerful aliens, we would be dead before we even took a step. No, we need help," the Doctor declared as a wickedly cunning look entered his eyes.

Jack raised an eyebrow; he knew that tone of voice well. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

The Doctor favoured Jack with a knowing grin. "How would you both like to meet the Justice League?"

Rose's eyes grew large as she looked up at the Doctor with awe. "Really, you're not joking?" Even across the pond, the members of the Justice League Unlimited were idolised.

The Doctor looked hurt. "Would I joke about meeting the Justice League?" he questioned her in a small voice.

Jack grinned broadly; the Doctor wasn't one for jokes and he would never do that to Rose of all people. "Of course not, Doc, but shouldn't we get going before they sell any more children, because I don't think that the Batman or Superman will be all that forgiving if we stood back and didn’t inform them where their son was or the fact that we let him get sold to some kind of alien pervert," Jack pointed out.

The Doctor winced; Jack made a strong point. The simple fact that he was a Time Lord probably wouldn’t matter much to any of the heroes who cared about Ianto if he didn’t do everything a Time Lord could to save the child.

"Right, time to go," he announced briskly before casting his glance back up to Ianto. He really wasn’t surprised to see the young Kyrptonian staring back at him with a knowing look in those defiant blue eyes. _'I promise you, Ianto Wayne-Kent, we will be back for you and we will have your family with us. Between us, we will rescue all of you.'_

The Doctor wasn't sure if Ianto got his silent message; all he could do was hope that his eyes conveyed his promise that they would not leave him or any of the other stolen children in the hands of these monsters for long. A strong sense of joy and accomplishment filled the Doctor’s heart when the young boy discreetly nodded his head and the Time Lord knew for sure that his message had been received and understood. Resolve strengthened the older man’s spine; he had just made a promise that he was going to keep come hell or high water.

After being dragged onto the stage, Ianto had glared defiantly at the slavers, at Ahriman and at the crowd in general. Part of him wanted to run away as fast as he could but he’d kept his eyes open during the forced march from the cell to the stage and he hadn’t spotted a single place in which to hide even if he could get away. No, he was going to have to bide his time and wait for an opportunity, plus he had the other kids to worry about as well. Being the oldest, he’d been unanimously if silently elected the group’s leader and he knew the other kids would be counting on him to guide them, protect them and save them.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the glare of the spotlight, Ianto found his eyes irresistibly drawn to a trio of unusual party goers; the two men and one blond woman seemed out of place amidst the crowd of heavy drinking, hard partying auction attendees. It was obvious even to a child his age that they were quite uncomfortable with their surroundings. Ianto found himself intrigued by the aura of timelessness and mystery surrounding the man in the long brown coat and bright green Converse and he couldn’t take his eyes off him. Even as he surveyed the rest of the crowd, he kept returning to the strange man.

Without warning, Ianto heard a soft whisper in the back of his mind and the soft sound of music playing in his heart and his eyes flew back to ‘Converse-man’. Even though Ianto didn’t understand the words the whispering voice spoke, he still felt hope fill him as he realised that the newcomer seemed to understand what was happening and was planning on helping them. _'Just a little longer; I just need to hold on a little longer and my dad's will be here in no time,'_ Ianto repeated to himself over and over again as the bidding commenced and his turn on the auction block grew nearer and nearer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Tensions were running high in the Watchtower as dead end after dead end was reached in their search for Ianto and each failure deepened the sense of hopelessness and dread was that was slowly taking them over.

Staring out at the endless stars stretching out across an inky black sky, Clark couldn't remember a time when he’d ever felt so helpless. _'A sign, that’s all I ask for, just something to give us a lead as to where to look.'_ Clark pleaded silently with the universe. _‘Please let me know my son is all right, please!’_

As soon as he finished asking, a strange noise filled the air at the same as the Watchtower’s intruder alarms went off. Immediately, the superhero members of Justice League fell into well-rehearsed and highly effective battle stances.

"Is that a blue… box?" Wally found himself asking incredulously as an odd blue box did seem to be fading in and out of existence right in the middle of the Watchtower’s main floor.

Jon's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he tried to focus on their strange invader; something about this box seemed familiar and it was tugging at the back of his mind that he should know this. _'Well whoever this is I hope for their sakes they’re friendly and have some knowledge about Ianto or I don't give much chance for their survival.'_ It was no secret that the League’s members, especially Batman and Superman, were all on edge and being a villain in this moment really wasn't good.

******

Rose Tyler was panicking on the inside even as she did her very best to calm her outsides; in fact, she was an absolute fangirl mess! It wasn't every day that a girl got to meet real life superheroes. She discreetly adjusted her shirt for the umpteenth time, wondering once again if she had time to run to her room and change into something other than a pair of jeans. _'What does one wear when they meet Batman and Superman?'_ she found herself wondering. _‘They never write about this in the fashion magazines!’_

As he dashed about the console flicking switches and turning dials, the Doctor noticed what Rose was doing and came to such an abrupt halt that he tripped over his own feet and only stayed upright by gripping the big lever on the console’s side. He couldn't believe his eyes! _'Is she actually preening?'_ he spluttered in silent outrage. Not only did he not like Rose’s obvious attempt to make herself more attractive to whomever was on the other side of the door, but he really didn’t like the very human feeling of jealousy that came over him as he watched his companion straighten out her clothing, fluff her hair and lick her lips. The Time Lord found himself snorting in disbelief; _‘Does she think we’re all going on a date with these people?’_

Jack's gaze darted between the Time Lord and the oh-so-human girl and fought the urge to roll his eyes; he did not need for another situation to end with the Doctor in jealous snit because for a moment Rose's attention was taken by someone else. Jack cleared his throat; "I hate to interrupt but shouldn't we be getting out _there_ before the spandex-clad superheroes come busting in _here_?" he pointed out reasonably. "You know, seeing as we have knowledge about their son?"

No one could ever really say for sure exactly what happened next but their best guess was that given his extraordinary sense of hearing, Superman overheard Jack's comment and while the assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn’t get through them, a TARDIS’ doors were no match for the strength of an enraged Kryptonian father. 

“Those are my ship’s doors you’re ripping off!" The Doctor roared indignantly as he watched one of the hinges for his TARDIS' doors bend under Superman's strength.

Superman didn't care about the Time Lord's rage as his own overpowered him and his eyes began to glow red from his heat vision. "Where is my son?" he thundered.

Rose tried to get her mouth to work as an equally enraged Batman stood glaring behind Superman. "Um, Doctor, I think we are in some real trouble." Usually quite brave when it came to sharing in the Doctor’s battles, this time it was all Rose could do not to tuck in behind Jack’s broad back and hide from the combined fury of the two fathers.

Normally Jack would be all for being surrounded by hot people in skin-tight spandex but now was not the time; he’d heard stories of Superman's power and Batman's genius and right now, as one of the subjects of their fury Jack knew it was not the time to flirt.

The Doctor was no stranger to facing powerful and dangerous foes but the Justice League were very different; they were some of the most powerful beings in the universe. Point in fact the Man of Steel, who was currently glaring at him with a deadly scowl on his handsome face. "Yes, well, I suppose we should have called first before just dropping in."

It was the Flash, with a rarely seen serious expression on his face, who answered the Doctor. "Yeah, that might have been helpful or you know, not kidnapping our little Yan would have been even better!" His voice had started out calm and even but by the end of his sentence, he was shouting.

"We didn't kidnap anyone!" Rose looked appalled at the very idea of being accused of that crime. _'Really,'_ she huffed silently to herself as her fear slowly turned to anger, _'here we are trying to help and they are wrongfully accusing us of committing such a horrible thing!’_

J'onn Jones usually didn't use his telepathy to spy on guests but given the situation they were currently dealing with and the fact that these ‘guests’ hadn’t actually been invited into the fold, he opened his mind up and gently brushed against their minds. He was surprised to find that the two men had the strongest shields he had ever encountered and he couldn't gain the barest hint of a whisper from them. The woman was different however; she was as easy to read as a book.

But the ship, oh the ship! She was so very different, so remarkable, unlike anything he’d ever met before. Her mind eagerly reached out to J'onn and wrapped around him like a song; she opened herself to him so that he could see just a little of the wonders she and her beloved pilot-thief had seen. She was time and space. She was a....

_'But this can't be! I thought you were all lost in the last great Time War?'_ J'onn asked curiosity lacing his voice.

A sad song was his answer. _'I am the last, all my brothers and sisters are gone. But I have my Time Lord and he has me.'_

_'I am sorry for your loss; I too know what it is like to be the last of your kind.'_ J'onn understood the TARDIS’ pain, after all, he had also lost his family, his people and his home.

_'I know you do, Martian, and I think we could be great friends but that is not why we are here. We have found your stolen child, Ianto, and he and the other children are in great danger.'_ The TARDIS showed J'onn everything they had seen, causing the Martian to pale from the horror of it all.

"Wait! It would seem our guests are _not_ involved with Ianto's kidnapping!” J'onn spoke up quickly before bloodshed could begin. “But they do have knowledge about what has happened to Ianto."

The Doctor glanced at the last living Martian; he wasn't at all surprised that his TARDIS had reached out to him, they were kindred spirits. "I am the Doctor, the last of the Time Lords, these are my two companions, Rose Tyler and Jack Harkness, and this…” he gestured about him before giving her console a gentle caress, “is my ship, the TARDIS."

Jon Stewart's eyes widened with amazement; the Green Lantern Corps knew all about the Time Lords and the fact that there was only one left. He just never thought he’d get the honour of meeting him. "So you're the one they call the Oncoming Storm, then?" he asked with the utmost courtesy.

The Doctor gave a small nod. "I am and if you know that then you know I would never harm a child.” He turned to Batman and Superman; “Your son and the other missing children have been taken by slave traders and they are currently being auctioned off."

For the second time in five days Clark and Bruce felt their world fall out beneath their feet, their son was being auctioned off. _‘He must be terrified!’_ Clark’s heart plummeted in his chest and he gripped Bruce’s arm tightly.

"Who and where?" Dick demanded his eyes blazing with fury beneath his mask.

"A dangerous and powerful man who gets a kick out of catering to those who desire this kind of thing, a beast named Ahriman," the Doctor growled out.

Feeling like someone had just walked over his grave, Jon sucked in a ragged breath that didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"You know that man?" Bruce demanded tersely.

Jon nodded his jaw tense and his eyes hard. "I do, many Green Lanterns have tried to take him down over the years but he is powerful, well-connected and very dangerous."

"Um… I hate to bring up this point, but how do we know we can trust them just because he claims to be this Time Lord guy?" the Flash asked.

Behind his mask Bruce's eyes narrowed with sudden suspicion; he didn't think they were lying but this was his son’s life and freedom at stake and he needed to be sure that the newcomers could be trusted. "I'm sure your ship has data to back up your claims?" he asked trying to mask his impatience. _‘Why are we just standing here? We should be finding this Ahriman and destroying his operation!’_ Normally a man of action, Bruce was finding it difficult to do nothing.

"She does." It wasn't the Doctor who answered but J'onn; his link with the TARDIS was still active, “and she is willing to provide all the data we will need to back-up their claims," J'onn informed them confidently.

“Fine,” Bruce gave a sharp nod. "Get the data to Oracle and until she can confirm what you say is true, you _will_ be our guests in the Watchtower.” The tone of his voice let Jack, Rose and the Doctor know that he was not issuing an invitation to tea. “You will be allowed some freedom but you will each be assigned a guard who will be with you at all times," he took a menacing step forward, "and should we find out you've lied to us you will be handed over to the Green Lanterns."

While Rose bristled about being locked up and being threatened by the Batman, the Doctor noticed that Jack didn't seem all that surprised, as if, like the Time Lord, he had expected them to be locked away until the League could prove what they were saying was true. "I expected nothing less," the Doctor calmly agreed. “Would you like to lead the way?”

Several members of the League silently agreed it was certainly a point in their favour that they were so willing to surrender to being under guard until their data could be studied and verified.

******

Kara wasted no time in rushing the TARDIS’ data to her girlfriend; the Watchtower was virtually humming with excited whispers that they had found Ianto. Upon entering the control room Kara wasn't surprised to see the wary hope appearing in her redheaded girlfriend’s tired, red-rimmed eyes.

"Is it true?" Barbara hardly dared to ask although there was an element of hope lacing her voice.

"I'm not sure, but this might hold the answer." Kara held up a data chip that the Doctor had given them from the TARDIS.

Barbara practically grabbed it from Kara's hands and quickly went to work. Kara watched her girlfriend fondly, if anyone could learn the truth it would be her. After dropping a quick kiss on top of Barbara’s head, Kara quietly left the room so her lover could work in peace.

******

Rose wasn't sure how she felt about being locked up and the fact that she was under the Huntress’ guard didn't help; the Doctor had been given Green Arrow and Jack was under the watchful eye of the Black Canary. It didn’t take very long before she proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she could handle Jack's flirting without batting an eye when she smoothly and efficiently flipped him onto his back with a single move within seconds of his first suggestive wink.

Although she would never admit it to anyone, Rose was just a little afraid of her guard; the only time she saw the dark-haired woman smile was when the Green Arrow stopped by for a moment to flirt with her. It hadn't taken long for Jack and Rose to realise that their three guards were deeply and romantically involved with one another, at which point Jack had gotten a gleeful look in his eyes and very politely offered them a quick tumble as a threesome or foursome, whichever they preferred. One identical look from both woman killed the hopeful look in Jack’s eyes and silenced the snort of laughter from the Green Arrow.

“Sorry about that,” the Green Arrow shook his head and patted Jack comfortingly on the shoulder. "They might be two of the scariest sexy women to walk the Earth but they’re mine and while it was a nice idea I don't share," he warned in a friendly but firm tone.

Watching with quiet amusement, the Doctor also shook his head but only briefly; he’d noticed that while the words and smile were typical Harkness, Jack's heart simply wasn't in his flirting. In fact, he’d noticed the former Time Agent hadn't been the same since he’d first laid eyes on Ianto. The Time Lord had a sneaking feeling that seeing his future mate, even when he had no idea who the child would grow up to be, had triggered something deep within Jack’s subconscious. _'I wonder if Jack even has a clue as to what is happening to him?'_ The Doctor had noticed the way Jack’s gaze had locked on to the young boy, Ianto Wayne-Kent, and if he was right about what was happening to Jack then that could be very bad given who Ianto's family was. _'You will not have an easy journey, Jack, in claiming your mate when the time is right.'_  
 _  
_******

_Four hours later_

Sitting next to his husband in the League’s conference room, Clark had a death-grip on Bruce’s hand. "Is their story true?" he asked Barbara, not noticing that the rest of the Justice League members were holding their breath in anticipation of the answer.

The redhead smiled her first smile in days. "Everything checks out; they _are_ telling the truth. The data has not been faked and they do indeed know where Ianto is." Barbara delivered the only bit of good news they’d had all week.

Clark leapt from his chair, dashed to the head of the table and then, well aware of how his strength could get away from him when he was over excited, he gently embraced Barbara. "Thank you!” he whispered emotionally. “Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to us."

Barbara gently stroked Clark's cheek. "I do, Ianto is family and it's time we brought him home. Now go on, go get our little boy.”

"We will," Bruce vowed as he joined his husband and touched her shoulder in thanks. Delighted that she’d been able to help the two distraught fathers, Barbara watched them go knowing that with the combined force of the Justice League behind them, nothing would stop Clark and Bruce from bringing Ianto back home where he belonged.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ahriman had been absolutely delighted by the response of eager slave-owners to his once-in-a-lifetime auction invitation. He’d seen the potential for making millions of credits from his guests and that was just for the normal, human children. There was no way of knowing how high the bidding would go for the Kryptonian boy; the sky was the absolute limit where his price was concerned. The more he thought about it, Ahriman was actually a little torn when he thought about Ianto’s future.

On the one hand, the son of Superman would make an incredibly formidable weapon that would make any war lord proud he’d bankrupted his country to pay for him. However, should one of the experimental scientists win the bid, there was always the potential for using Ianto’s unique DNA to create an entire race of super-soldier clones that could then be sold on to those same war lords. _‘Maybe I’m not thinking this through properly,’_ he mused. _‘Maybe I should be marketing the child exclusively to the scientists and then keeping a percentage of future sales.’_

As happy as he’d been when he’d stepped out on the stage, Ahriman wasn't a fool; he’d recognized the last of the Time Lords and the Time Agent right away and he’d known that his gig was up. _'And this was such a lucrative job,’_ he’d pouted. _‘Oh well, there’s always a new one somewhere out there.'_ While his fast-talking auctioneer was working the potential slave owners into a bidding frenzy, Ahriman took the opportunity to leave the stage as surreptitiously as he could. As he began initiating the transfer of his funds from his various accounts to his main bank in the Grand Cayman Galaxy, he went straight to his office, locked the door behind him and then moved towards the secure locked safe that only he could access. Reaching out to key in the numeric code, he cursed viciously as he noticed that his hands were actually shaking and that made him fumble the code. It took two more tries before he got the safe open and he could pull out his own highly-illegal-to-own-if-you’re-not-a-Time-Agent vortex manipulator.

"At least this time I won't have to deal with the clean-up. No doubt the Justice League will take care of that for me and while I'll miss my clients someone needs to keep them distracted while I take my leave.” Recalling his earlier thoughts about dealing with the scientists, Ahriman smiled with grim satisfaction, “And now that I know that Superman does indeed have a son, I can get him any time."

******

When their guards had hurriedly returned them the TARDIS’ front door, Jack and the Doctor were sure that the League had verified the ship’s data thereby proving that they were indeed telling the truth. Moments later Bruce and Clark had rushed in and saying that they needed to leave immediately if they wanted to save Ianto. As her male companions turned to open the TARDIS’ door, Rose decided to cut off any protest the Doctor and Jack would make about her not going before they had a chance to open their mouths.

"Don't you two even think about telling me to stay behind! I'm coming along and nothing you can do or say will keep me here,” Rose informed them in her most no-nonsense voice.

The Doctor's jaw was tense. "This is dangerous, Rose, more so than usual."

A very unladylike snort escaped the blonde's lips. "And every other adventure we've been on has been a cakewalk?" Rose pointed out.

Jack shrugged his shoulders when the Doctor turned to him for support. "She's got a point, Doc, and this time we've got the Justice League with us so she should be safer than usual."

The Doctor growled in frustration and threw his hands up in the air; he knew that he couldn't win against Rose _and_ Jack. "Fine, FINE! You can come but this time, Rose Tyler, when I tell you to stay out of danger, you will listen and you will stay in the TARDIS," the Doctor ordered before looking up directly at his ship. “And you, you will not let her out this time, either, do you hear me?”

A distinct rumbling sound was audible to all those standing outside the blue box, while J’onn distinctly heard the few choice words the TARDIS had for her master. He had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing aloud.

Rose smiled at the Time Lord; she found it so adorable that he thought he could still tell her what to do and that she would actually listen. "Why of course, Doctor, whatever you say," she responded ever-so-sweetly.

The Doctor knew that his companion was merely humouring him, just as he knew that Rose wouldn't remain safely in the TARDIS, she wouldn't be Rose if she did. All he could so was hope that when the time came, the TARDIS would keep her from harm.

"If you're done with your little domestic moment can we get this show on the road?" the Flash asked as he leaned against the TARDIS with his foot tapping away at massive speed. He might not be able to see any of the bat family faces but given the tense set to the spines of the super family Wally knew that they were barely holding back from storming the TARDIS and going to rescue Ianto all on their own.

Jack knew well the look in Superman's eyes; it was the same way he looked when Grey had been taken from him. He knew they would do everything in their power to save Ianto, even if that meant stealing the TARDIS from the Doctor. "Right, time’s a wasting and there's a little prince waiting for his rescue."

Behind his mask Bruce's eyes narrowed as he studied Jack; there was something about him that he just didn't like. He didn’t know what it was, but all his instincts were screaming at him that Jack Harkness was going to be very dangerous to his family’s future happiness. _'He needs to be watched carefully and kept far away from Ianto.'_ Bruce wasn't sure why he felt like that; all he knew was that he trusted his gut and it was telling him to get rid of Jack just as soon as they had Ianto safely in their arms.

"Indeed, it is time for these monsters to pay," Hawkgirl declared menacingly tightening her grip on her mace.

"Yes, anyone who preys on children must be brought to justice." Wonder Woman wore a determined expression on her beautiful Amazonian face as she her hands into fists at her sides.

"They will be, trust me," Clark vowed; he and Bruce would do everything in their power to make sure that the monster Ahriman never got the chance to steal another child – or anything else – ever again.

The Doctor had his own grim look on his face. "We will stop them, I promise you that. Now, everyone into the TARDIS and let's get this mission started. And if all goes as planned we will arrive just after we had left and before any of the children can be sold or taken away." The Doctor knew that the TARDIS wouldn't fail this time around; she would land precisely when she was supposed to.

******

Even though his heart was thudding away in his little chest, Ianto Wayne-Kent gazed calmly out at the sea of aliens who were all hoping to buy him. The auctioneer had finally noticed that Ahriman had disappeared and so the auction had been put on hold while the man went to make sure everything was all right. He’d returned, mumbling something about an emergency but the bidding hadn’t yet resumed. Instead, to keep the crowd happy, waiters were hurrying through the ranks bearing trays of freshly poured champagne.

While the rest of the idiots in the room were fooled Ianto wasn't; he’d noticed that the slaver’s leader had had a distinct hint of panic in his eyes after seeing the odd trio and that he’d left within moments of their disappearance. Ianto wasn't the son of the Batman for nothing and he could easily tell all the signs of someone getting ready to run leaving the others as collateral against much more powerful and dangerous enemies. That realisation brought a smug, happy smile to Ianto's face, his family was coming to save him.

******

The TARDIS made one of her smoothest landings ever before Batman was finished issuing everyone’s orders. The Doctor didn't like the part of the plan that had him separated from Rose and Jack but the Batman had been right when he pointed out that dressed as they were, the two humans looked the least likely to pose any kind of serious threat. That also meant that they had a better chance at getting access to the children so the Doctor had relented; at least he was sending Nightwing, Robin, Huntress, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Speed and the Flash with them.

The Doctor himself would be going with Batman and the Manhunter while the Oracle would be listening in, waiting for the data to be sent to her. The moment it was received she would start translating in hopes for finding out to whom the other stolen children had been sold and where they had been taken. Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman would be acting as their back-up and taking out any obstacle standing in their way, a mission the Doctor felt that Hawkgirl was looking forward to.

Superman, Superboy, Supergirl and the Green Lantern were tasked with taking out the spheres and the factory where they were made, a task that the others wanted but that Batman knew his husband needed to do in order to unleash the rage and uselessness he had been feeling since Ianto had been taken.

Taking a brief moment before they left the TARDIS Dick and Tim approached their adopted fathers. "Don't worry, dad, we'll get Ianto back safe and sound," Tim promised even as he gave his boyfriend a quick squeeze of his hand.

Connor smiled down at his boyfriend; he knew that Tim and the others would find Ianto and the other children being kept in the auction house while he would do his job and make sure that no other family had to go through what they did this past week thanks to Ahriman and his minions.

Next to them Dick nodded his head even as he and Tim shared a look that spoke of just what they would be willing to do to anyone who got in their way of saving Ianto.

"Come on; let's get this show on the road!" Jack twitched impatiently next to the doors of the TARDIS with Rose standing next to him. He didn't know why but in his very soul he knew that he needed to get out there and find this little boy, this Ianto Wayne-Kent.

Dick looked right at Bruce and Clark as he promised. "Next time we see you we _will_ have Ianto with us."

Bruce nodded his head. "I know you will, son, I know you will."

"Bring him back to us safely but look after each other as well," Clark added. “Understand?”

Tim nodded his head. "We will."

Jack grinned at the Doctor. "Don't worry, I'll keep Rose safe," he vowed.

The Time Lord looked at them very seriously. "Don't forget to look after yourself as well; I want you both to come back to me safely."

Jack gave the Doctor a quick two finger salute before he led his group out of the TARDIS.

Bruce looked at Clark and offered as much comfort as he could given that he was Batman at the moment, "We'll get him back that I promise you." 

Clark squeezed Bruce's hand. "I know he'll be home where he belongs. Stay safe and come back to me." Clark's greatest fear was one day none of his mortal family would come back.

"I will," Bruce promised as he broke character and gently stroked Clark's cheek; he knew his husband’s greatest fear and always did everything he could to put off the inevitable.

Those still remaining felt a little out of place watching the tender moment between two of the greatest heroes to ever live but the moment ended and Superman nodded to his team and they were out the TARDIS in a flash and ready for action.

The Doctor grinned mischievously. "Well, let's find the control room; we have some hacking to do."  
  
******

Ahriman whistled a happy tune as he finished destroying anything that could lead back to him. He would lay low for a few years, after all, he had plenty of money, and then he’d restart his operation in a different time and probably in a different part of the Universe. He glanced down at the holographic image he had taken of the young Kryptonian. "And don't you worry, young Mr Wayne-Kent, I'll be keeping an eye on you and your family. You are going to bring me a great deal of money in the future, I just know it."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Although they were still frightened, some of the other children watched with curious eyes as Ianto calmly walked up to their guards a knowing look on his face.

"What do you want, brat?" One of the guards asked sneering down at the young child. “Get back over there before I plant my boot in your arse and send you flying back.”

Ianto merely looked up at him. "You're not a very nice alien and when my brothers get here they are going to kick your butts."

"Hear that, boys? He thinks his brothers are coming to save him!" the same guard sneered derisively as the other guards laughed at Ianto’s foolhardy bravery.

"Actually we are already here." A new voice came from behind them.

For the first time since he'd been there Ianto smiled and the guards felt a sense of dread fill them as they turned to see a glaring Nightwing and Robin standing in front of a small group of heroes.

Nightwing only had eyes for his baby brother. "You alright, Yan?" he asked and the guards knew he had been the one who had spoken before.

Nodding his head Ianto favoured his older brother with an even bigger smile. "I am now!"

Robin nodded. "Good, now please go with our new friends, Jack and Rose, while we take care of these guys."

Ianto gave one final nod before turning his attention back to the scared yet hopeful children who were staring up at the heroes with awe. "I told you we’d be going home."

Slipping around the heroes Rose and Jack quickly made their way around to the children while the group of superheroes blocked the guards from pursuing them. It seemed that the guards were a little less than willing to fight against the very pissed-off Nightwing and Robin not to mention the rest of the League members with them.

Rose bent down next to Ianto amazed and pleased to see how the young man had everyone calmed down and ready to go. "Hi, I'm Rose Tyler and this is my friend, Jack Harkness and we were sent by Batman and Superman to take you home."

Ianto calmly studied Rose; he could feel the kindness and warmth pouring off her and knew right away that he could trust her. His gaze then flicked to the man standing silently beside her; he looked almost disinterested in the children but Ianto knew that looks could be deceiving. He could see that Jack was on guard should anyone try anything and as he met Jack’s gaze and looked into those piercing blue eyes Ianto felt something tingle strange in his soul.

Jack swallowed hard as he felt his gut tighten to the point of being painful. There was simply no way it could be possible; the young boy couldn’t _possibly_ be his mate – he was just a kid, for Pete’s sake! But as he continued to look into the serene blue eyes of Ianto Wayne-Kent he knew that it was true. _'They are going to kill me!'_ Jack groaned inwardly and he knew that was why the Batman had already given him that famous death glare.

Despite the warmth of the room and the fact that he was wearing his beloved woollen greatcoat, Jack couldn't help but shiver, that man was truly frightening. But even that wasn't enough to kill the upsurge of hope he felt in his heart as he realised he had found his mate. Yeah sure, he wouldn't be able to start courting the kid until he was old enough, probably another ten years or so, but that would go by in the blink of an eye when travelling with the Doctor. _'Still, his parents are going to kill me, wait for me to revive and then kill me again!'_

Confused the sudden tangible something in the air, Rose looked between Jack and Ianto wondering why they were just staring at one another not saying anything. A tug on her shirt pulled her attention away and she found herself staring into the darkest green eyes she'd ever seen and Rose melted as the little girl with her red hair pulled into pigtails lisped, "Are you weelly here to take uth home?"

"Yes, we are sweetie," Rose promised just as a hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to see Black Canary smiling down at her.

"It's time to go home, little one, I'm sure your family is waiting to see you again." Black Canary smiled invitingly and the girl smiled back at her and held up her hands to be carried. Black Canary didn't wait a second to pick the girl up and cuddle her warmly. "Alright, kids, time to go home."

Rose blinked and turned to see that while she’d been paying attention to the kids, the others had knocked out the guards and were just finishing tying them up. Before anyone could stop them, a few of the children darted forward to give their abusive captors a kick or two and Rose found that she couldn't blame them. _‘Give ‘em one for me, too!’_

Jack's fingers itched to pick up Ianto, to hold him just once before he had to give him back to his family but it was not to be as Ianto's eyes lit up when he saw his brothers drawing near.

"Di… Nightwing! Robin!" Ianto barely remembered in time that when his brothers were in uniform to call them by their codenames and not their real names. “Yay!!!” He was so excited that he started doing a happy little dance while he waited for them to reach him.

"Yan!" Dick and Tim cried as Ianto suddenly darted around jack and rushed towards them; bending down with open arms they gladly welcomed their baby brother into their arms. Ianto clung to his brothers and they clung back just as tightly. None of them said anything about the tears streaming down their cheeks and wetting their costumes as several of the other adults shed a few of their own happy tears.

Silently the others collected the children, allowing the brothers to have a more private reunion, but it didn't escape anyone's notice the way Jack hovered back stealing one last look at Ianto before he followed the others out.

Ianto continued to cling to his brothers for a moment longer before pulling away, his eyes red from crying. "Is my dad and daddy here?"

Dick smirked. "Oh yeah, kiddo, they’re out there making sure that this doesn't happened to anyone else."

Wrapping his arms around Ianto Tim scooped his little brother up into the air. "Let's go see them."

Wrapping his arms around Tim's neck Ianto rested his head on his shoulder, finally he was safe and back with his family and he was going home.

*******

Barbara felt sick as she read through the data that was being sent to her, the situation was far more horrible than she’d first thought. Children had been sold as slaves for years and there was one race that was even using them for drugs. "I promise you we will find each and every one of you and bring you home," she vowed.

*******

Reaching the TARDIS with little to no problems Jack and Rose ushered the children in and they watched in awe as the TARDIS activated her view screens and showed them what was happening outside the safety of her walls.

"Whoa!" one boy muttered as he watched Superman use his heat vision to melt the spheres coming at him.

Rose shivered lightly at the power Superman possessed and clutched the trembling child she was holding closer to her body even as Jack wrapped a comforting arm around her. "It will be okay, Rose, just you watch." She took comfort in Jack's whispered promise and snuggled deeper into his hold.

*******

Ianto was in total awe of the TARDIS, a sentiment that the ship seemed to share. She simply adored the son of Batman and Superman and she was so happy to see that he was okay that she slipped into his head and sang a joyful song for him. But nothing made his eyes light up more than the sight of his dad coming into the TARDIS. "Dad!"

Batman, in an unexpected show of deep and pure emotion, bent down and caught his son up into his arms as soon as the little boy rushed forward. Ianto clung tightly to his father as he wrapped his arms around his dad's neck and just breathed in his scent. It broke Bruce’s heart to feel the way Ianto trembled against him.

The other children who had been rescued just stared at their young leader, the one who’d kept their hopes up, the one who’d done his best to protect them and stand up for them; he was the son of the Batman! That was the coolest thing ever!

Bruce kept a tight grip on his son as he moved to join the others; there was no way he was going to let Ianto out of his sight for a very long time.

"I knew you and daddy would rescue me," Ianto whispered, his breath warm against his father’s skin.

"Always, Ianto, always," Bruce vowed and he meant it; he would move heaven and hell itself if it meant saving his son.

*******

Clark could remember very few times he’d ever felt so anxious; his wedding to Bruce was one of them but right now all he could feel was anxiety over whether or not his son was safe and unharmed, and he knew just by looking at them that Kara and Connor felt the same way.

"Go on, I'll catch up," Jon promised them, he knew they were only holding back because of him and there really was no need. Getting to Ianto was far more important at the moment.

Clark smiled at Jon but he knew the other man wanted to see Ianto was okay as well. "That's nice of you to offer but would it offend your dignity if I gave you a lift?"

"In this case, not at all," Jon smiled his permission and then he felt Clark's arm around his waist and a quick 'hold on' was his only warning before they were off, soaring through the air while the world passed below them in a blur of muddled colours, and the next thing Jon knew they were touching down in front of the magical blue box and running in to the TARDIS.

"What happened in here?" Jon asked when he noticed that all around the console room of the TARDIS there were soundly sleeping children.

"The TARDIS has removed the experience of their time here and we'll have them all back safe and sound seconds after they were taken. It will be as if this whole experience never happened," the Doctor explained quietly.

But Clark, Kara and Connor weren’t really listening, nor did they have eyes for anyone but the small figure curled up in Bruce’s arms with Dick, Tim and Roy seated around his feet, their eyes on the wide-awake and bright-eyed figure staring back at them joyfully.

"Daddy!" Ianto cried and he barely had time to finish his word before he was lifted up into Clark's gentle embrace and cradled against his chest.

Clark couldn't find the words to express his joy at having his son back safe and sound; all he could do was hold him close and vow he would never let him go. He and his family had endured one of his worst nightmares come to life.

Kara and Connor couldn't stop from reaching out and touching Ianto, desperate to know that he was really there.

The Doctor and Rose couldn't help but cast worried glances at Jack who was hovering near the back his eyes on the family reunion.

Lifting his head from where it rested on his dad's shoulder Ianto's gaze met Jack's and he couldn't understand why but he had a strong urge to comfort him; he shouldn’t be sad. "Daddy, I need to get down for a moment," and he squirmed just a bit to emphasise his need.

It pained Clark to release his son so soon after getting him back, but something in the little boy’s eyes told him that this was important to Ianto, so he did as his son asked. Clark found himself blinking with curiosity as Ianto made his way over to Jack while next to him Bruce let out a deep warning growl of displeasure.

Seeing Ianto heading for him Jack pushed away from the coral strut he was leaning against and bent down to Ianto's level, kneeling by the time the little boy reached him and wondering what he was going to say. Normally unflappable, he nearly fell over in shock as Ianto reached up to hug him.

Ianto wrapped his tiny arms around Jack's neck and held on tightly. "Thank you for coming to rescue us and please don't be sad anymore." He placed an innocent kiss on the man's cheek before he let him go.

As he watched Ianto dash back to his family Jack couldn't help but touch his hand to the cheek that Ianto had kissed and a faint smile appeared on his face. Yeah, he could wait until Ianto was old enough from him to claim, the younger man would definitely be worth whatever kind of torture Batman would come up with to try and keep him away from his son.

A territorial growl escaped Bruce's lips as he kept a close eye on Harkness and Connor scooped up Ianto once he was in range. The Batman wasn't sure what was happening between Ianto and Jack, but he didn't like it and he was going to make damned sure the other man stayed far, far away from his son.

*******

It had taken a while, even with the TARDIS and the Justice League helping out but eventually everyone was home where they belonged, tucked away safe and sound in their beds.

The TARDIS let out a mournful song as she contemplated her next plan; she didn't want to but she simply had no choice but to erase the entire event from everyone’s memories. Only her Time Lord could be permitted to remember what had taken place. In order to maintain the timelines, it was imperative that Jack not meet Ianto _after_ the fall of Torchwood One, because there was no way that Bruce, Clark, Dick, Tim, or Connor, not to mention the rest of the League were going to let Jack within a hundred feet of Ianto if they knew what was going to happen, and their meeting was just too important to the future to be changed in any way. She only hoped that one day they would be able to forgive her.

The Doctor felt his ship’s pain and he knew that what she was forced to do would hurt her, but there was little choice; the timeline couldn't be contaminated any more than it already was. "Don't worry, old girl, they’ll understand when the time comes," he told her fondly as he stroked her console and the TARDIS hummed at him happily, glad to know that her lonely angel truly understood why she needed to do such a cruel thing.

********

A cheerful laugh echoed through Wayne Manor as Ianto happily played with Ace and Krypto, racing them up and down the long hallway. Like the rest of Ianto's family they refused to let the young boy out of their sight although not one of them understood why. Different members of the League had been dropping by with vague fairly ridiculous excuses to see Ianto. No one could explain it but the last five days seemed to be wrapped in a haze, no one could honestly say what they had been doing, there was nothing in their computers or on their CCTV footage, and it had them a little worried.

As he stood with his arm around his husband’s waist, watching Ianto throw a ball for the dogs, Bruce would never be able to figure out what caused him to narrow his eyes and blurt out the words, "Ianto will never date anyone who wears 1940's style clothing!"

Blinking in surprise, Clark could only stare at his husband and smile quizzically. "That was a rather random thought, Bruce, what brought that on?"

Shaking his head in bewilderment, Bruce could only answer, "I have no idea, but something is telling me to keep Ianto far away from anyone wearing a vintage RAF outfit."

From the confused nods that Dick, Tim, Connor and Kara gave the fathers, they shared the same feeling and Clark couldn't help but feel sorry for whoever had inspired such feelings in his family. If there really was someone out there like that and they were interested in his son, then they were going to face an impossible battle.

******

_Somewhere in time and space_

Jack Harkness had seen a lot and done a lot with so many others and some he remembered rather fondly, some not so much but for the life of him he couldn't explain where he had seen the beautiful blue-grey eyes that haunted his dreams. They were the very first thing he saw when he woke up and the last thing he saw before he drifted off into the land of sleep.

He might not know who they belonged to but he knew he had to find them. But something tugged at his gut warning him that finding the one he was looking for would prove a danger to his health. _'Oh well what's life without a little danger? I'm going to find you, blue eyes, that I promise.'_

Still having no idea where the data came from didn't stop Jon Stewart, Earth's Green Lantern, from talking the data the TARDIS had provided to his fellow Green Lanterns. Ahriman had eluded capture once again, but there were a lot of children out there still being held against their will and he made sure that they would look into a fairly reclusive race known as the 456, because using children as drugs was not acceptable in any sector of the universe.

*******

The TARDIS let out a little hum of satisfaction. Time had been successfully nudged in the right direction and she was sure it was for the better. The 456 would be stopped long before they returned to Earth to demand ten percent of the human children and Jack wouldn't lose the love of his life or be forced to make the hard decision to sacrifice his grandson, and the Justice League would never find themselves in conflict with the world’s governments.

This time everything would work out for the better, she was sure of it.

The End


End file.
